Intervention strategies for the enhancement of the Peruvian route of the Inca royal path Qhapaq Ñan

Abstract

Qhapaq Ñan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was a complex administrative communication and transport system that connected the immense territory of the Inca empire for over 30 thousand km, intercepting sites of great historical and cultural interest today, first of all the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. The consequences of climate change and the high tourist presence, which is mostly concentrated in Machu Picchu, are seriously jeopardizing the survival of this precious asset. The heavy rains that hit the monuments produce dangerous infiltrations of water between the masonry structures, compromising their stability; the transit of people along the paths and stairways erodes the rock and the soil. A further burden is the new airport, nearing completion, located a few kilometers from the entrance to the Sacred Valley of Machu Picchu, aimed at strengthening the national and international tourist network, with irreversible damage to the territory and local communities. For these reasons, in 2016, UNESCO included Machu Picchu in the list of "World Heritage Sites in Danger". The present study proposes an alternative that can shift the tourist flow towards other sites intercepted by the Qhapaq Ñan, less known but equally rich in history, culture and art, including the archaeological site of Raqchi and the Q'eswachaka bridge, for which interventions are proposed aimed at improving their accessibility through the redevelopment of the existing infrastructures and the construction of temporary reception facilities in respect of the identity of the places.